Abstract

Iron recycling by macrophages is essential for erythropoiesis, but may be also relevant for iron redistribution to neighbouring cells at the local tissue level. Using mice with iron retention in macrophages due to targeted inactivation of the iron exporter ferroportin, we investigated the role of macrophage iron release in hair follicle cycling and wound healing, a complex process leading to major clinical problems, if impaired. Genetic deletion of ferroportin in macrophages resulted in iron deficiency and decreased proliferation in epithelial cells, which consequently impaired hair follicle growth and caused transient alopecia. Hair loss was not related to systemic iron deficiency or anemia, thus indicating the necessity of local iron release from macrophages. Inactivation of macrophage ferroportin also led to delayed skin wound healing with defective granulation tissue formation and diminished fibroplasia. Iron retention in macrophages had no impact on the inflammatory processes accompanying wound healing, but affected stromal cells proliferation, blood and lymphatic vessels formation, and fibrogenesis. Our findings reveal that iron/ferroportin plays a largely underestimated role in the macrophage trophic function in skin homeostasis and repair.